thanks. more to the point - would you prefer a plain shaker door or one with a bit of detail/frou-frou?

I'm in the mid-west and around here the shaker style seems to be enjoying a little more popularity. That said, most of my clients still opt for a raised panel. To me it makes sense to keep the style of the house in mind when designing your kitchen. Is it cottage? Arts and Crafts? Ranch? But if it isn't defined by any one style then your best bet is to look around and see what people are buying in your area. Personally, between the two, I'd do the shaker style because I've never had anyone request a transitional door of the type in the photo above. But maybe people in your region love it.

Well, as transitional is the blending of modern and traditional styles then with the shaker cabs you have the best of both worlds. Plus the shakers should be less expensive (especially as you aim a resale) it's a no brainer really.

Slab could work very well too.

thanks all for your input!

"Normal person" ha ha ha ha ha.

Shaker, but with more contemporary handles/knobs than in your example.